Abstract
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.), rich in health-promoting bioactive compounds, are vital to the economy and culture of Mediterranean regions such as southern Italy. However, open-field cultivation in these areas faces increasing challenges due to fluctuating environmental conditions, which intensify oxidative stress, accelerate ripening, and compromise yield and quality. Plant-based protein hydrolysates (PHs) and optimized irrigation practices have emerged as promising strategies to enhance crop resilience. This study assessed the effects of two foliar-applied biostimulants: MU, a seaweed and plant amino acid-based formulation, and SR, a potassium-rich botanical extract. Both were tested on tomatoes (cv. "H1534") under open-field conditions in southern Italy (Foggia) over two seasons (2019-2020). Both biostimulants had no significant impact on yield traits or technological quality, whereas year-to-year variability markedly influenced outcomes. In 2020, compared with 2019, total yield declined by 45%, and defective fruits rose by 311%.°Brix, polyphenols, lycopene, and sweetness index also decreased significantly (-41%, -18%, -58%, and -14%, respectively), indicating stress conditions. Under these circumstances, MU increased polyphenols (+27%) and enhanced essential (+42%) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, +63%), while SR also stimulated BCAAs accumulation (+30%). These findings suggest that, under variable open-field conditions, biostimulants mainly influenced fruit metabolic profiles rather than directly enhancing growth or yield. Their performance appears closely tied to environmental factors, reinforcing the need for realistic, context-specific evaluations to guide their effective integration into sustainable cropping systems.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
MU and SR had no significant impact on yield traits or technological quality.
- Taxon
- tomatoes
Solanum lycopersicume1 - Material
- H1534e1
- Treatment
- Both biostimulantse0
- Outcome
- yield traits or technological qualitye0
- Direction
- no significant impacte0
- Setting
- open-field conditions in southern Italy (Foggia)e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Both biostimulants had no significant impact on yield traits or technological quality”
e1“Both were tested on tomatoes (cv. "H1534") under open-field conditions in southern Italy (Foggia)”
Claim · model-written summary
Total yield declined 45% in 2020 versus 2019.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume1
- Material
- H1534e1
- Outcome
- total yielde0
- Direction
- declinede0
- Value
- 45%e0
- Comparator
- 2019e0
- Setting
- 2020e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In 2020, compared with 2019, total yield declined by 45%”
e1“tomatoes (cv. "H1534")”
Claim · model-written summary
Defective fruits rose 311% in 2020 versus 2019.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume1
- Material
- H1534e1
- Outcome
- defective fruitse0
- Direction
- rosee0
- Value
- 311%e0
- Comparator
- 2019e0
- Setting
- 2020e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In 2020, compared with 2019, total yield declined by 45%, and defective fruits rose by 311%”
e1“tomatoes (cv. "H1534")”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit °Brix fell 41% in 2020 versus 2019.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume2
- Outcome
- °Brixe0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- -41%e0
- Comparator
- 2019e1
- Setting
- 2020e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“°Brix, polyphenols, lycopene, and sweetness index also decreased significantly (-41%, -18%, -58%, and -14%, respectively)”
e1“In 2020, compared with 2019”
e2“tomatoes (cv. "H1534")”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit polyphenols fell 18% in 2020 versus 2019.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume2
- Outcome
- polyphenolse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- -18%e0
- Comparator
- 2019e1
- Setting
- 2020e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“°Brix, polyphenols, lycopene, and sweetness index also decreased significantly (-41%, -18%, -58%, and -14%, respectively)”
e1“In 2020, compared with 2019”
e2“tomatoes”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit lycopene fell 58% in 2020 versus 2019.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume2
- Outcome
- lycopenee0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- -58%e0
- Comparator
- 2019e1
- Setting
- 2020e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“°Brix, polyphenols, lycopene, and sweetness index also decreased significantly (-41%, -18%, -58%, and -14%, respectively)”
e1“In 2020, compared with 2019”
e2“tomatoes”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit sweetness index fell 14% in 2020 versus 2019.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume2
- Outcome
- sweetness indexe0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- -14%e0
- Comparator
- 2019e1
- Setting
- 2020e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“°Brix, polyphenols, lycopene, and sweetness index also decreased significantly (-41%, -18%, -58%, and -14%, respectively)”
e1“In 2020, compared with 2019”
e2“tomatoes”
Claim · model-written summary
MU raised polyphenols 27% under the 2020 conditions.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Under these circumstances, MU increased polyphenols (+27%)”
e1“tomatoes”
Claim · model-written summary
MU raised essential amino acids 42%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“MU increased polyphenols (+27%) and enhanced essential (+42%) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, +63%)”
e1“tomatoes”
Claim · model-written summary
MU raised branched-chain amino acids 63%.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- MUe0
- Outcome
- branched-chain amino acidse0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- +63%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“MU increased polyphenols (+27%) and enhanced essential (+42%) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, +63%)”
e1“tomatoes”
Claim · model-written summary
SR raised branched-chain amino acid accumulation 30%.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- SRe0
- Outcome
- BCAAs accumulatione0
- Direction
- stimulatede0
- Value
- +30%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“SR also stimulated BCAAs accumulation (+30%)”
e1“tomatoes”
The same questions in other papers
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